Sleepless
by Kaeru Shisho
Summary: Heero tells Wufei about his feelings for Duo, causing developments and plenty for both men to think about.  AU, male-male friendship


Sleepless

Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Gundam Wing or its characters. I make no monetary profit off this story.

Summary: Heero tells Wufei about his feelings for Duo, causing developments and plenty for both men to think about.

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><p>It seemed to me as if he'd been rattling on the phone for hours. The call was utterly gratuitous, an over-indulgent thing to do. Maxwell was home sick. That's all! Leave him alone! Let him sleep! Let ME sleep, Yuy, God damn it!<p>

"—and what does the label say? Six times a day or eight? Make a table. Meds on one side and times along the top. Check each box as you take the right drug then start a new one tomorrow. Better yet, I'll send you a spread sheet- Of course, I know you can make one yourself."

Do you? Do you, really? I didn't understand why Yuy treated Maxwell like a child. He was grown man who, as far as I could tell, was capable of looking after himself.

Look at him! All stretched out on his bed, smiling, for God's sake. I wouldn't put it past him to be enjoying this. Of course he knows he's annoying me. He's just getting back at me for leaving him all the paperwork to file.

"—No, I don't need to keep charts. I don't take medications. I don't get sick. Well, of course, in the hospital I've had to take drugs, but I can't help what goes into the IV when I'm passed out. You're right. I wish I could."

He hadn't called _me_ every four hours when I was out, and I'd been shot! Of course, my phone had been destroyed in the crossfire, but that was not the point. I hadn't _needed_ to have him check on my condition every fucking four hours. It was bad enough to have that busybody Po woman in my hair all the time, and it was her job!

"Ha! I'm not the bionic man, Duo!"

Laughing? Yuy laughing? I can stand this no longer. "Yuy! I can't sleep with you carrying on over there. We have to give that damned presentation in the morning, first thing, remember?"

"What? Oh, okay. Yes, that was Chang. Yes, I should go now. Well, make sure you do so you get a good night's rest and your body repairs in the fastest time possible. You're welcome. I'll call in the morning. Oh, okay, not too early, I promise. Good night to you, too."

Finally he shut up! "At last."

"It was only a five minute call."

"And a totally unnecessary one. Maxwell has been taking care of himself since he was five, from what he's said. He can get over a cold."

"It's bronchitis and a throat infection. I wanted to make sure he wasn't trying to tough it out and ignore his doctor's instructions."

Uh, huh. "Doctor Po wouldn't let him do that. She's under orders to check on his condition daily." Damn. I hadn't meant to let that slip, a sure sign of how tired I was.

"Sally? Whose orders? Oh, I see. _Yours._"

"Wipe that grin off your face, Yuy. It makes you look like a damn fool."

"Your language goes downhill rapidly when you get tired."

"You haven't heard anything yet. Now, leave me alone. You've gotten your Maxwell update, so go to sleep."

"You _care_," I think he said. He might have chuckled more, but my pillow blocked most of his noise as he settled into his bed.

I couldn't keep my eyes from opening one more time and looking at the time. In glowing red numbers it claimed it was after midnight. Great. If I was lucky and fell asleep RIGHT NOW I'd get less than an optimal night's rest. Perfect start to an absolutely grueling, arduous day.

What time is it again? I looked AGAIN!

Lost another ten minutes of prime sleep time. I sighed and tried to get comfortable, rolling onto my other side. Was Yuy talking to him again, or to me? "What was that? Are you speaking to me?"

"I said, 'I think I'm in love.'"

For the love of… I may have snorted. I heard him move, sitting up.

"But I wish to correct that. I am in love. I know I am."

I have no idea what kind of noise I made. I can assure you; this was not a conversation I ever dreamed I'd have with Heero Yuy, ex- Gundam pilot, my current partner at the Preventers peacekeeping organization, and my friend. Friend, but not that kind of friend. We didn't open up about our personal lives. And certainly not at night when we were already short of sleep with a BIG DAY of work pending.

"Doctor J increased my physical strength, bolstered my immune system, my hearing, sight, reaction time, changed my body's systems to accommodate these enhancements and then trained me, adding psychological therapy, to be the perfect soldier. I am still… exceptional… in many ways, but have normalized in others."

This was interesting enough to miss more sleep. "Yes, your social skills are right on par with mine now, if that's any improvement. But this… all… seems sudden. In _love?_ I can't imagine who the lucky girl is-"

"Duo."

"DUO?" I choked, choked on that some more, and fell over in a coughing fit. When I had myself under control, Yuy was standing over me with a glass of water, smiling.

"Better?"

I took the glass only to see that my hand was shaking. Dear God. "Yes." It took all my control not to snap at him. I drank the water to the bottom. "Duo _Maxwell?_ He's a…a… _he._"

"Yes, he is. A good-looking one, I think. You're going to drop that."

I wasn't going to drop the glass. Probably. We'll never know since he snatched it out of my hand. When he took the glass, our fingers touched, and I jumped. I hadn't meant to.

"Problem, Chang?"

"Don't growl at me. No, I don't have a _problem._ _You_ have a problem. And NO I'm not talking about the-the male thing—"

"Same sex. Homosexuality."

"_That_. Yes, although, problems might crop up, they won't be with me. I am quite tolerant of Winner and Barton's relationship, and you know it."

"Yes, you are, but they don't work with you every day. I do."

"We are partners. I know you. Well, I thought I did. The point is—where was I? I do have a point here- God I'm tired. What time-?"

"Twelve-thirty."

Ugh. Was _that _all?

"I'm sorry. I should have waited for a better time to tell you, but it just occurred to me that I was sure about my feelings."

If it weren't for the sappy expression on his face, I would have thought it was all a bad practical joke. Yuy just confessed that he loved Duo Maxwell? Was this real?

"Why Duo of all people? He's so… so…"

"Yes, he is."

Yuy wore an idiotic grin. Maybe this _was_ his idea of a practical joke?

"You're not serious. Okay, I give up. You fooled me this time. Satisfied? Now go to bed-."

"I meant what I said. I'm in love with Duo. I think about him all the time. It's so… He's so… ah… When he smiles at me I, ah… The other day he grabbed my, ah..."

What? Laptop, hand, attention crotch—? "On the other hand, don't try and explain," I told him, cutting off _that_ awkward little speech leading to who _knows_ where. Dangerous territory. I didn't think I could bear hearing about Duo's glowing good points from my completely besotted partner. Not this night.

At least he seemed to understand that and shut the fuck up.

"Duo said Sally stopped by and passed on her hello."

Maybe not. If I didn't answer he would think I was asleep and leave it be.

"I know you aren't asleep. I can hear you grinding your teeth."

"It is possible that I grind my teeth in my sleep!" I shouted.

"How do you feel about her?"

How do I feel-? What the fuck business was it of his? "I-I… Who? Oh, this is nonsense!"

"It might help to talk about it. Her. Sally."

Huh? "How could talking to you about Sal—about Doctor Po—help anything?"

"Sorting out your feelings relieves stress and clarifies the thinking process."

Who was this stranger who'd taken over my partner's body? That sounded like he was quoting from a self-help book. I didn't _see _a book in his hands, but then it was dark.

"At least, I hope it is her and not Duo that you're interested in."

"What?" I flung my legs over the side of the bed and sat there glaring into the gloom, for all the good it did me.

"It's not, is it?" He was laughing at me again. "Just kidding. Relax. I'm just feeling … lighter after telling you how I felt about Duo."

I was not feeling lighter at all. I was feeling… tired as hell and, suddenly, spiritually drained. "I don't think she cares for me very much." There, I said it and it didn't improve things a bit.

"That's not what she told Duo."

"That Po woman was confiding her innermost thoughts to…to Maxwell?" And not me?

"He's easy to talk to. I have found myself telling him all kinds of unlikely things."

"That doesn't prove a thing. You are telling me all kinds of unlikely things. Maybe she feels attracted to him." God forbid!

"She does like him, a lot, but not in the way you mean. She keeps that for you and you alone."

The bedside table lamp next to Heero flared on. He wore that criminally sly little smile again.

"She told him you were exotically handsome, brave, and intelligent. She likes museums. You should take her to the opening of the new wing of the air and space museum." His smile broadened, frighteningly gaining Maxwellian proportions. "We could go together."

"You and I? What would that-? Oh, I see. You are suggesting a double date."

"Yes. That would be comfortable-."

A brilliant idea, actually. "Maxwell could hold up two-thirds of the conversation." I was warming to the idea. "I wouldn't have to worry about-."

"About sticking your foot in your mouth? No, you wouldn't."

I could ignore that insult. I had plans to make. "Lunch would follow or dinner, depending upon how late it was."

"Duo will need to get well first." The light went off with a click, punctuating his comment with a note of finality.

"Oh, pooh. He flew a Gundam in the war with broken ribs. He can manage a museum with a cough. We could take my car and all fit, save on gas and parking. Is that okay with you? Yuy? Are you listening?"

"Sleepy… Let's call it a night. You do have that presentation in the morning."

"We have a presentation in the morning. I've been saying that all along."

"No, you do. I'm in charge of the slides. That's all."

One o'clock- AM.

"Good night."

I grumbled my own good night and pitched myself back onto the bed and under the covers. Naturally, I was wide awake now. Mind reeling with possibilities. Wondering about what Sally could have said to Maxwell- exactly what she told him concerning me.

I tossed and turned. Yuy had long since fallen asleep. I could hear the even breathing only someone with a mind-at-ease could master.

Somewhere around two AM I opened my cell phone.

"Hello, Dr. Po. No, nothing's wrong. No emergency. Yes, it is late, I know. Yes. _Yes,_ I did have a reason for calling you at this damn hour if you'd only let me spit it out, woman -! Sorry. I won't yell. I just… I just wanted to know if you'd like to go to the air and space-? Yes? You would? Good. Yes, that's very good. What was that? Duo, would too? He mentioned it? Well, I suppose he can tag along, which means Yuy-. Yes. Yes, I see. Yes, I'll tell him. What's that? Food would be… a good idea. We'll talk tomorrow and set the time then. Thank you. Yes. Yes, me too. Good night, ah-. All right… Sally. And 'Wufei' will do. Yes. Well, good night."

"Jesus, will you cut the crap and go to bed, Chang! Hey! Ouch! What was that?"

"The clock. Oh, and Maxwell already asked Sally out to the museum, but you and I are allowed to trail in their wake. Good Night."

"He's taking _her_? You and I-? No!"

My turn to laugh as he got uptight about which couple was which.

"Maxwell doesn't know how you feel, does he?"

"No-oo." His was a miserable-sounding moan.

As I battled to suppress my laugh, I felt a welcome warmth welling up inside. Heero had told me about his new-found infatuation before he'd told Duo. My partner had confided in me, considered me his close friend, still.

"You are going to have to let Maxwell know, not just me."

The sigh I heard was wrapped in heavy-duty emotions. "I know."

"It was best that you tried it out on me first. It will come naturally when you talk to him."

"I hope so."

Damn. It sounded as if all his earlier confidence and bliss was now crushed by doubts._ God, _I hoped Duo felt the same way about Heero.

"On this _date_ of ours, would you like me to investigate how Maxwell feels about you?"

"Yes! Would you?"

How could I not try to remove that desperate worry from his mind? Hadn't he changed my world when he'd informed me of Sally's interest?

"Of course. I made the offer, didn't I? That's what friends do for one another."

"Thank you."

"Think nothing of it."

His chuckle leaked pain all over the place. "I'll think of nothing else."

Well, hell. "How could he not _suspect_? He's not stupid. He must see how you treat him differently from everyone else in the universe!"

"You think so?"

"Absolutely."

"Hn."

I don't think either one of us slept that night.

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><p>The End.<p> 


End file.
